Method of preparing a compound seasoning



United States Patent 3,340,069 METHOD OF PREPARING A COMPOUND SEASONING Iwao Matsuda, Tokyo, and Akio Shiga, Hideyuki Furnkawa, and Akio Kanemitsu, Machida-shi, Japan, assignors to Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, a corporation of Japan No Drawing. Filed July 8, 1964, Ser. No. 381,223 Claims priority, a plication Japan, July 12, 1963, 38/ 35,590 5 Claims. (Cl. 99-140) This invention relates to coated compound seasonings such as coated mono-sodium glutamate, and to methods for producing the same. More particularly this invention relates to compound seasoning such as mono-sodium glutamate coated evenly with other seasoning, and to methods for producing the same by mixing and stirring the principal ingredient such as mono-sodium glutamate with other seasoning While flowing saturated steam or wet steam into the resultant mixture at a temperature of 50 to 100 C.

In preparing compound seasonings a coating method employing an organic solvent, a pressure shaping method and a granulating method have been generally employed, but these methods require special apparatus and are correspondingly expensive. Moreover they not only require a large amount of heat energy in drying, solvent recovery and the like, but also the increase of cost due to loss of solvent during the recovery thereof is a problem which cannot be ignored.

It is an object of the present invention to provide coated seasonings having free flow property, high degree of homogeneity and such transparency as is not impaired by the coating. It is another object of the present invention to provide methods for coating a seasoning such as mono-sodium glutamate without the necessity of employing such special apparatus as is required in conventional coating methods. It is yet another object to provide methods for coating a seasoning such as mono-sodium glutamate, which require no solvent and a much lower amount of heat energy expenditure, in comparison with conventional methods; accordingly, methods enabling coating to be accomplished at much lower production cost than by conventional methods.

In the practice of the present invention, a mixture of seasonings, such as mono-sodium glutamate and fine seasoning powder to be coated thereon, such as inosinic acid, guanylic acid, aspartic acid, succinic acid, substances associated with nucleic acid, acid type of relish substances, or their salts, is charged into a mixer and subjected to homogeneous mixing while maintaining the temperature of the contents at about 50 to 100 C. within which limit the temperature varies depending upon the amount and varieties of other seasoning material to be added with sodium glutamate by blowing in saturated steam or wet steam in an amount to wet only slightly the surface of the seasonings, such as mono-sodium glutamate, being coated. As the coating of the surface of seasoning such as mono-sodium glutamate is carried out evenly with the additive seasoning, the transparency of the seasoning being coated, such as mono-sodium glutamate, is retained almost completely. This is entirely impossible for any conventional method to achieve.

As for the amount of steam used in the present method, the minimum amount just capable of dissolving the flavorimparting nucleotides (additive seasoning) at the temperature of operation is generally preferable. Theoretically, in e.g. the case of di-sodiurn 5'-inosinic acid salt, the amount of steam required for wetting is as follows:

Mg./m1. (milligrams By the theoretical amount of steam or water is meant a minimum amount of water to dissolve the coating material and then to coat the mono-sodium glutamate with the dissolved material. If an undue excess of water is employed, the mono-sodium glutamate crystals will aggregate and stick to each other.

As for the temperature of the steam, it is preferably in the range of 50 to C. to attain the object of making the coating readily performable and preventing the substances employed from being decomposed.

The value, importance and feature of the present invention lies in the point that it utilizes the hygroscopic property and solubility of the seasoning ingeniously. There is no fear that the crystals of the seasoning material being coated, such as mono-sodium glutamate crystals, may adhere to each other or that the coating may separate from the substrate during the drying operation.

A more comprehensive understanding of the invention can be obtained by referring to the following illustrative, but non-limitative examples of presently preferred embodiments of the invention.

Example 1.A combination 0 mono-sodium glutamate and di-sodium 5'-zn0sinate 99.1 g. (grams) of mono-sodium glutamate of commercial grade and 900 mg. (milligrams) of finely powdered (finer than 200 mesh) di-sodium 5'-inosinate are admixed, while stirring, steam being blown into the mixture in an amount suflicient to provide 2 to 2.6 m1. of condensed water and to keep the temperature of contact between the blown-in steam and the mixture at about 50 C. (For the purpose of coating, 1 to 1.3 ml. (milliliters) of condensed water are necessary but it is preferred to add twice this amount of water, but not more).

After completion of the steam treatment, the product is dried. This is effected in per se conventional manner, e.g. by a stream of hot air (50 C.).

l g. of sample is taken from each fraction of resulting product separated according to mesh size and the content of di-sodium 5-inosinate is determined as shown in Table 1. Figures in this and other tables hereinafter set forth are in terms of milligrams of di-sodium 5-inosinate (or corresponding other coating material) included in 1 g. of product. In the case of Table l, 0.9 percent by weight of di-sodium 5'-inosinate (relative to the weight of the mixture) was admixed with the sodium glutamate. Figures in each bracket indicate efliciency of coating.

TABLE 1 Mesh size 8.73 mg. (97%) a 8.82 mg. (98%) 8.82 mg. (98%). 8.725 mg. (97.5%) 8.64 mg. (96%) 8.829 mg. (98.1%). 8.707 mg. (97.3%) 8.775 mg. (97.5%) 8.82 mg. (98%).

The product of the example is a free-flowing homogeneous mixture of transparent crystals of mono-sodium glutamate uniformly coated with a thin coating of disodium 5'-inosinate.

While mono-sodium glutamate is here selected as presently preferred substrate or principal ingredient of the compound seasoning, it may be replaced with essentially enumerated seasoning or flavoring substances. The coating in each case is of course different from the substrate Example 5.A combination of mono-sodium glutamate i and mono-sodium'asp'artate By repeating Example 4 except that a temperature of material.

Example 2.--A combination of mono-sodium glutamate and di-sodium 5-in0sinate 50 C. and mono-sodium aspartate are used instead of 5 95 C. and di-sodium 5 -guanylate, a product is obtained.

Samples taken from this product, after drying, are subjected to quantitative analysis as in Example 4, the result being shown in Table 5. In the case of Table 5, 0.9 percent by Weight of mono-sodium aspartate (relative to the weight of the mixture) was admixed with the mono-sodium glutamate.

95 g. of mono-sodium glutamate of commercial grade, and g. of di-sodium 5'-inosinate are treated at a temperature of 60 C. as in Example 1. Samples are taken from resulting product, after drying, and subjected to quantitative analysis, the result of which is shown in Table 2. In the case of Table 2, 5.0 percent by weight TABLE 5 of di-sodium 5'-inosinate (relative to the weight of the mixture) was admixed with the mono-sodium glutamate. M h

TABLE 2 sample es size 0- 5- Meshsize 2 35 3 50 50-100 salzlnple 7) 82 7) 873 7) 0. 7.7'2 9 .9 8. m. 97

-35 35-50 50-100 20 8.728 35. (97.2% 8.802 ni 97f8% 8.75 8%. 97.8%).

8.811 mg. (97.9%).. 8.775 mg. (97.5%) 8.775 mg. (97.5%). 82 8585-)"- -553 552 8557;- .m. mg.

f g (QWZLM 490mg (98%)} The product of this example is a free flowmg homo geneous mixture of transparent crystals of mono-sodium '25 glutamate uniformly coated with a thin coating of mono- The product of Example 2 has the same properties as sodium asparatel that of Example 1.

Example 3.A combination of mono-sodium glutamate 'figfjggzififiizzfiziziz giit i and di-sodium 5'-guanylate g p By repeating Example 2, except that a temperature of 80 C. and di-sodium 5'-guanylate are used instead of 60 C. and di-sodium 5'-inosinate, a product is obtained. Samples taken from this product, after drying, are subjected to quantitative analysis as in Example 2, the result of which is shown in Table 3. In the case of Table 3, 0.9 percent by weight of di-sodium 5'-guanylate (relative to the weight of the mixture) was admixed with the By repeating Example 5 except that a temperature of 80 C. is used instead of 50 C., a product is obtained. Samples taken from this product, after drying, are subjected to quantitative analysis as in Example 5, the result being shown in Table 6. -In the case of Table 6, 5.0 percent by weight of mono-sodium asparate (relative to the weight of the mixture) was admixed with the monosodium glutamate.

mono-sodium glutamate. TABLE 6 TABLE 3 Mesh size Sample Mesh size N0. Sample 2035 35-50 -100 48.9 mg. (97.8%) 48.7 mg. (97.4%) 48.4 mg. (96.8%).

. 48.75 mg. (97.5%) 48.6 mg. (97.2%) 48.6 mg. (97.2%).

8.757 mg. (97.3%) 75 mg. (97.5%). 48.65 mg. (97.3%)" 48.8 mg. (97.6%)". 48.75 mg. (97.5%).

8 8.82 mg. (98%) 8.739 mg. (97.1%) 8.838 mg. (98.2%) 8.793 mg. (97.7%).

The product of this example has the same properties as that of Example 5.

Example 7.A combination of mono-sodium glutamate and di-sodium succinate The product of the present example is a free-flowing homogeneous mixture of uniformly thin-coated crystals of mono-sodium glutamate. The transparency of the latter has not been impaired by the di-sodium 5'-guanylate.

Example 4.-A combination of mono-sodium glutamate and di-sodium 5 -guanylate 'By repeating Example 6, except that a temperature of 70 C. and di-sodium succinate are used instead of 80 C. and mono-sodium asparate, a product is obtained. Samples taken from this product, after drying, are subjected to quantitative analysis as in Example 6, the result being shown in Table 7.

In the case of Table 7, 0.9 percent 'by Weight of di- By repeating Example 3 except that a temperature of 95 C. is used instead of C., a product is obtained. Samples taken from this product, after drying, are subjected to quantitative analysis, as in Example 3, the result being shown in Table In the case of Table 4, sodium succinate (relative to the weight of the mixture) 5.0 percent by Weight of di-sodium 5'-guanylate (relawas used Wlth the mono'sodmm glutamatetive to the weight of the mixture) was admixed with TABLE 7 the mono-sodium glutamate.

Mesh size TABLE 4 Sample 20-35 35-50 50-100 Mesh size SaIiInpIe 8811 9 7) 7 0. mg. 97. 8.802 97.8 8.838 98.2 20-35 35-50 50-100 8.775 mg. 97573 8.811 iii. 97.9 7Zi 8.811 35. 597.9%,i. v 8.802 mg. (97.8%) 8.793 mg. (97.7%) 8.802 mg. (97.8%). 5 781%-t' zttt"i-$ -3t m I 3 49.0 mg. (98%) i 49.2 $2. 98.4%)". 48.65 55. 07.3%. Example wmbmatlm of mono'sodmm glutamate and zit-sodium succinate The product of this example has the same good properties as that of Example 3.

By repeatin g Example 7 except that a temperature of C. is used instead of 70 C., a product is obtained.

Samples taken from this product, after drying, are subjected to quantitative analysis as in Example 7, the result being shown in Table 8. In the case of Table 8, 5.0 percent by weight of di-sodium succinate (relative to the weight of the mixture) was used with the mono-sodium glutamate.

The product is free-flowing, uniform and transparent.

It is manifest from the foregoing that the described good results are achievable over a considerable range of coating material relative to substrate material. Thus the former may constitute from about 0.5 to about percent of the Weight of the mixture.

The starting side of the substrate may vary widely as desired.

supersaturated steam is not employed.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for preparing a free-flowing compound seasoning consisting essentially of a major proportion of mono-sodium glutamate as the substrate which comprises coating the said substrate by homogeneously admixing the latter at a temperature of 50 C. to 100 C. with a minor proportion of at least one member selected from the group consisting of di-sodium 5-inosinate, di-sodium 5'- guanylate, mono-sodium asparate and di-sodium succinate, in the presence of a controlled amount of wet 5 steam which is at most saturated, whereupon uniform coating of the substrate without agglomeration is realized, the coating material constituting from about 0.5 to about 1-0 percent of the weight of the coated product, and the amount of steam corresponding to that necessary to provide only the amount of water required to dissolve the coating material.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the coating material is di-sodium 5-inosinate.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the coating material is di-sodium 5'-guanylate.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the coating material is mono-sodium asparate.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the coating material is di-sodium succinate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,104,171 '9/1963 Sakaguchi et al. 99l40 3,109,741 11/1963 Toi et al. 99140 3,198,638 8/1965 Yasu-matsu et a1. 99143 X OTHER REFERENCES Japanese application 37/ 1,666, May 1962.

FEB/ALVIN E. TANENHOLTZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. A METHOD FOR PREPARING A FREE-FLOWING COMPOUND SEASONING CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A MAJOR PROPORTION OF MONO-SODIUM GLUTAMATE AS THE SUBSTRATE WHICH COMPRISES COATING THE SAID SUBSTRATE BY HOMOGENEOUSLY ADMIXING THE LATTER AT A TEMPERATURE OF 50*C. TO 100*C. WITH A MINOR PROPORTION OF AT LEAST ONE MEMBER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF DI-SODIUM 5''-INOSINATE, DI-SODIUM 5''GUANYLATE, MONO-SODIUM ASPARATE AND DI-SODIUM SUCCINATE, IN THE PRESENCE OF A CONTROLLED AMOUNT OF WET STEAM WHICH IS AT MOST SATURATED, WHEREUPON UNIFORM COATING OF THE SUBSTRATE WITHOUT AGGLOMERATION IS REALIZED THE COATING MATERIAL CONSTITUTING FROM ABOUT 0.5 TO ABOUT 10 PERCENT OF THE WEIGHT OF THE COATED PRODUCT, AND THE AMOUNT OF STEAM CORRESPONDING TO THAT NECESSARY TO PROVIDE ONLY THE AMOUNT OF WATER REQUIRED TO DISSOLVE THE COATING MATERIAL. 